The Maturity Of Scout And Jem In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
"It is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do nothing but make
music for us to enjoy." This was quoted from To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee, a creative novelist. To Kill a Mockingbird is about a
young girl named Jean-Louise Finch, her brother Jeremy Finch and many
other characters. Jean- Louise is nick-named Scout and Jeremy is
nick-named Jem. Their father Atticus ,who was a lawyer, had been given
a case to handle and did not have any choice but to receive it and
work his best for his client. The case was about an African man, named
Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman.
Throughout the story the reader sees how Scout and Jem are afraid of
Boo because they think he is a monster and try to tease him. They try
to play tricks on Boo. Later in the novel they are no longer afraid of
him and are no longer interested in teasing him.
Another example of their maturity is how they view people. When Scout
and Jem see how Tom Robinson is treated just because he is black, they
begin to understand the meaning of prejudice. No one comes to help Tom
Robinson except their father who defends him when Tom is accused of
raping a white woman. Scout watches the trial and believes that he
will be found innocent. Instead, Tom Robinson is found guilty. Her
disappointment in the verdict makes Scout question the idea of
justice.
"Who in this town did one thing to help Tom Robinson, just who?" (215)
Scout and Jem had believe that their father was not like any other
fathers in school. They see him as an old man who can’t do anything.
However, when a mad dog appears on the street, Atticus, their farther,
kills that dog with one shot. They are surprised to learn that he is
the best shot in the town. They’re attitude towards their father has
changed. This is a sign of maturity.
"The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson leaped, flopped over and crumpled on
the sidewalk in a brown-and-white heap. He didn’t know what hit him."
(96)
"Jem became vaguely articulate, ‘you see him, Scout? You see him just
stand there? All of a sudden he just relaxed all over. it looked like
that gun was a part of him...and he did it so quick, like... I hafta
to aim for ten minutes fore I can hit something,...’"(97)
Another incident which shows Scout’s maturing is when she overhears
her teacher saying that it is a good thing Tom Robinson was convicted
because the black were getting too "high and mighty." This disturbs
scout very much because the teacher is always telling them about
democracy and the persecution of Jews yet it is OK to persecute the
blacks. Scout wonder how her teacher could be so contradictory.
The last incident which brings Scout to adulthood is when she and Jem
are brought safely home from their attacker by boo. She finally has
the courage to stand on the Radley porch, and the kids are no longer
afraid of Boo Radley. They now understand him.
Scout and Jem mature during the duration of the novel by watching the
events happen around them. They learn to examine the institutions
around them more closely and to accept people as they are.